Fuel



- specifically, my

Patented Oct. "27, 1925.

ltsa gfl I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlC EF l JEAN F. 1. ml; LA RIBOISIERE, 0']? WASHINGTON, DISTRICT 'OF COLUMBIA.

FUEL.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. JEAN F. P. on LA R-IBOISIERE, a citizen of France, residing at Washin ton, D. (1., have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fuels, of which the following is a specification.

. My invention relatespin general to the preparation and combustion of fuels. More invention is directed to the economical and efficient utilization of heavy oils adapted for use under-burners or in internal combustion engines, particularly those of the Diesel type.

I have found that when oils of this character are combusted in the presence of a catalytic agent, the heat-content obtainable therefrom is greatly increased. In its preferred form, I propose to add to oils, a metallic or metalloid catalytic agent and I have found that the best results are obtained by adding to the oils, a material containing a hydrocarbon radical and a metal" or metalloid, for example, one containing the phenyl radical and a metalloid such as selenium. be considered materials which generate a hydrocarbon radical and a metal.

My invention may be applied to various types of oils including fuel oil for burners, Diesel oil, gas oils, tar oils, heavy shale oil, oils obtained from lignites, asphaltic materials and peat. Referring to petroleum hydrocarbons, the term, heavy oil is usually applied to hydrocarbons from which the gasoline or kerosene contents have been removed. Therefore, I include under the term, heavy-oil, those petroleum'distillates having densities above the upper limit of the range of kerosene densities. Usually the maximum limit for kerosene density is .82 absolute density or 40 B. WVhile'these figures may vary somewhat, they are indicative of the upper limit. The term, heavy oil also includes non-petroleum oils and its significance is clear in view of the explanation given in connection with petroleum distillates.

It appears from my experiments that when the catalytic agent has certain properties, the most satisfactory results are obtained. For example, the catalytic agent functions better when it is soluble inthe oil, further it should have a low boiling point and still be relatively stable, that is it does not decompose before boiling. The molec- Comp0unds of this nature may Application filed.December 17', 1924. Serial No. 756,555.

ular weight of the metal or-metalloi'd which maybea constituent of the catalytic agent does not appear to have any substantial 'infiuence upon the development of, the in creased B. t. u.s obtainable. Compounds contalnin a metal or metalloid of low molecular weight appear to work'equally as well as those containing a metal or metalloidof high molecular weight, provided the other properties before referred to are substantially identical.

In order that my invention may be clearlyunderstood the following examples aregiven:

1.;To one thousand pounds of Dieselv oil or fuel add for example, one to two pounds of dibenzyl diselenite. This particular compound of selenium is used because'it is stable under the condition in which it is used. Other selenium com ounds, such as phenyl, diphenyl, tri-pheny andtetra coinpounds are not particularly suitable since theyzdecompose at low temperatures. They may be used if proper precautions are taken.

By using the dibenzyl diselenite the propor,

tion of carbon mono-oxid' resulting from the combustion is decreased about two thirds and the fuel shows an increased efficiency ranging from 15 to 25%. In other words, when usin the catalytic a cut specified, the amount of power obtained increased in amount ranging between 15 and 25%, or an amountcf power comparable to that obtained when the catalytic agent is not used results from using 15 to 25% less from the fuel is fuel; that is to say, when the catalytic agent is used, less fuel is required to produce a given amount of power, then when it is not used.

2. To one thousand poundsof heavy fuel oil, such as Diesel oil, one to two ounds of diphenyl sulfide, (C HQ S isad ed. This increases the efficiency of the fuel as heretofore specified.

3. To one thousand pounds of heavy fuel oil, such as. Diesel oil, add one or two pounds formula, C ILCI, C H Cl C H Cl may be used. The'bromnaphthalenes may also be used.

Tellurium, selenium and other elements sometimes act as metals and at other times as metalloids. Conventionally, the elements have been divided into metals and metalloids; however these classes gradually grade into each other. In view of the above, in the claims, the term metal is used to include true metals and metalloids- Dibcnzyl diselenite, benzyl sulfide, thio phenol and diphenyl disulfide are all examples of a material containing a hydrocarbon radical derived from a phenolic substance and, as stated, in the preferred form of my product and process, substances .of this type are used. But it-is to be understood that, in general, I wish to include by the expression, a material containing a hydrocarbon radical derived from a phenolic substance any body having a metal or inetalloid present and exhibiting the characteristics of the phenolic compounds.

Sulphur, selenium, tellurium are elements which appear in group 6 of Mendeleefs Periodic Classification of the Elements, appjearing on page 808 of Modern Inor anic hemistry by J. W. Mellor, 1916, ongmans 'Green & Co. v

I claim:

1. The process of increasing the heat-units obtainable from a heavy hydrocarbonfuel comprising combusting the fuel in the presence of a small proportion of a compound of a hydrocarbon radical and a ,;,ne'tal.

2. The process of increasing the heat-units obtainable from a heavy hydrocarbon fuel comprising combusting the fuel in the presence of a small proportion of a material generating a hydrocarbon radical and a metal.

3. The process of increasing the heat-units obtainable from a heavy hydrocarbon fuel comprising combusting the fuel in the presence of a small proportion of a material generating a phenyl radical and a metal.

4. The process of increasing the heatunits obtainable from a heavy hydrocarbon fuel comprising combusting the fuel in the presence of a small proportion of dibenzyl diselenide.

5. A liquid fuel comprising a heavy hydrocarbon and a small proportion of a compound of a hydrocarbon radical and a metal adapted to increase the heat-content obtainable from the fuel on combustion.

6. A liquid fuel comprising a heavy oil and a small proportion of material generating a hydrocarbon radical and a metal cal and a metal adapted to increase the heatcontent obtainable from the fuel on combustion.

9. A liquid fuel comprising a heavy oil and a small proportion of a material generating a phenyl radical and a metal adapted to increase the heat-content obtainable from the fuel on' combustion.

10. A liquid fuel comprising a heavy petroleum hydrocarbon and a small proportion of material generating a phenyl radical and a metal adapted to increase the heat-content obtainable from the fuel on combustion.

11. A liquid fuel consisting of a heavy hydrocarbon and a small proportion of dibenzyl diselenide adapted toincrease the heat-content obtainable from the fuel on combustion.

12. A liquid fuel comprising a heavy hy drocarbonv and a small proportion of a material generating an aromatic hydrocarbon radical and a metal adapted to increase the heat content obtainable from fuel on com bustion.

13. A liquid fuel comprising a heavy petroleum hydrocarbon and a small proportion of a material generating a hydrocarbon radical derived from a phenolic substance and a metal adapted to increase the heat content obtainable from the fuel on combustion.

14. A liquid fuel comprising a heavy hydrocarbon and a small proportion of a material comprising a compound of an organic radical and a metal, said metal being one of the elements of group 6 of Mendeleefs Periodic Classification of the Elements.

15. A liquid fuel comprising a heavy hydrocarbon and a small proportion of a material comprising a compound of an aromatic organic radical and a metal, said metal being one of the elements of group '6 of Mendeleefs Periodic Classification of the Elements.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

JEAN F. P. DE LA RIBOISIERE. 

